By Your Hand
by Dawn of Chaos
Summary: Light headed and weak, Squall still manages to glare at the silver haired man. He remembers this feeling of betrayal, this undeniable pain that hurts far more than any wound he has received. Not because the betrayal is from a friend or a fellow comrade – but from someone that means so much more.


The young man trembled with anger as he stumbles backward. His weapon, a specialized blade with the hilt of a gun, slams against the crystal ground. His black pants and fur lined jacket are torn from the battle. The white V-neck shirt sticks to him like a second skin between the sweat and blood. He falls to his knees, landing hard against the transparent amethyst pillar. Short, unruly brown hair sways forward, pulling out from behind his ears as his stormy blue eyes struggle to focus. His breath comes out as pants and the lion pendant that hangs from a chain around his neck seems to weigh a ton. All he wants is to collapse and rest. But the anger and resentment keeps him conscious.

He glares up at another Warrior of Cosmos. The man is clad in a suit of pale blue armor with gold and khaki details and a long khaki cape. The horned helmet that usually hides his long silver hair is absent, allowing the tresses to dip into his bright aquamarine eyes. The shield is gone from his grasp, having been knocked aside by one of the brunet's attacks, but the sword is still held tightly. No markings of battle adorn the warrior, coming out of the battle unscathed.

'_Of course he did… it was a sneak attack…'_ the young man bitterly thinks.

"Squall Leonhart, you have deceived me for the last time. I thought you on our side and yet you side with Chaos."

He grits his teeth as blood dribbles from the corner of his mouth. "M-Me? You're the real traitor, can't you see you've been tricked!" Squall clutches at the shirt over his chest as his other arm hangs at his side, the arm of the jacket scorched up to his elbow, the skin marred and bloody. "I thought you couldn't be manipulated by the villains?"

Warrior of Light lowers his sword, pointing it beneath Squall's chin, forcing their eyes to meet. The hurt in Squall's eyes is visible and it disturbs the Warrior of Light. Knowing his opponent has no strength to fight; he moves his sword to the side and takes two steps forward before taking a knee in front of him. "Cosmos appeared before me, instructing me to seek out the traitor that threatens our victory – you."

Coughing hard as he brings his other hand up to his mouth, crimson coats his glove. Light headed and weak, Squall still manages to glare at the silver haired man. He remembers this feeling of betrayal, this undeniable pain that hurts far more than any wound he has received. Not because the betrayal is from a friend or a fellow comrade – but from someone that means so much more. Squall's hand falls from his face and reaches out, planting itself onto the Warrior of Light's chest.

The color smears across his armor as the brunet quivers, "You would betray me… because Cosmos… ordered you to?" Coughs break his question into pieces, but still it reaches the warrior. He manages to still his body for just a moment, looking up into the Warrior of Light's eyes with mixed emotions. "Why would the goddess you preach is good, order you to kill me?"

Warrior of Light looks down at him, his mental resolve he had made earlier dissolving quickly. Cosmos had come to him with the order and, as her warrior; he sought to carry it out regardless. But as Squall's hand slides down to land on his raised knee he sees the way the red sullies his once pristine armor. Suddenly the memory of Cosmos before him begins to alter. The image of the beautiful goddess warps into that of one of the Warriors of Chaos, Ultimecia – Squall's nemesis.

Horror and fear contort the usual stoic man's features as he lets his sword clatter to the ground – vanishing the second it does. He pulls the younger man onto his lap as he collapses onto the ground, reaching into his pouch for anything that can heal. The brunet's head lolls back against the Warrior of Light's arm, a sigh leaving his lips. "I'm glad… you came to your senses."

"Be quiet until I can heal you."

"It's fine."

"I said be quiet Squall!"

The loss of composure almost scares Squall, never having seen the Warrior of Light behave in such a manner – even when he confronted him originally. He closes his eyes at the memory and the ones that followed; filled with love, lust, and passion. The memories are quickly shattered by the Warrior of Light's voice, "Keep your eyes open."

Squall opens his eyes as the mouth of a bottle presses to his lips and he's almost too weak to even tell him no. He barely manages to raise a hand and grasp at the other man's wrist, choking on the bitter taste of the potion as it slides down his throat. The transparent, lime-green colored liquid gathers at the corners of his mouth, dripping down over his cheek and into the fur of his jacket. Warrior of Light watches with bated breath, praying and urging for Squall's wounds to heal.

But they don't so much as begin to glow from the mixture's healing effects. He pulls his arm from Squall's grasp and tosses the small bottle to the side only to retrieve a smaller vial. The more potent form of the mixture, an elixir, is rare and Squall openly protests to its use. He closes his mouth just as the Warrior of Light opens it and pushes it to his lips.

"This is no time to rebel. If you don't drink you'll die!"

"Dying is inevitable." The brunet casually states, his voice strained and body sore.

Warrior of Light seethes with anger and does the only thing he can manage. He turns the vial to his own lips and takes the liquid in his mouth. Before Squall can protest he grabs at the brunet's face, forcing his lips to part just as their mouths meet. He forces the liquid into Squall's mouth, lingering for a moment after he knows Squall has swallowed. Warrior of Light pulls away and leaves Squall coughing and sputtering in an attempt to expel the foul tasting elixir.

Even still the healing can't work its magic fast enough. The cuts barely begin to heal and the patches of burnt skin only turn to a dull pink color. "Why isn't it working?" the silver haired leader mumbles to himself as he tightens his hold on Squall. The strained breath that the brunet takes pierces the man's ears and he knows – oh he knows all too well.

Gingerly he caresses the side of Squall's face, the leather of his gloves slick with the boy's blood. He can remember, faintly, of taking another comrade's life. But the feeling he has now is completely different - as different as black and white itself. Squall stares up at him, blinking slowly as his breathing begins even heavier and slower. Warrior of Light holds him close as those lashes meet his cheeks one last time, closing off those cloudy blue-gray orbs from sight.

In that moment he's lost, unable to do anything but hold the boy up and press his face against the sullied shirt. His chest aches and it feels as though a heavy weight has crushed the entire cavity in on itself. Warrior of Light balls his fingers into Squall's hair and the back of his shirt, praying for Cosmos to show and undo his mistakes – but knowing it can't happen. His shoulders quiver before his whole body begins to tremble, the dry and silent sobs gently wracking his body with even more pain as he holds his lover.

* * *

_(sigh) Friends are usually the result of a lot of my plot bunnies. ^^; They just can't stop feeding them. Which is why this is… here… I happened to be editing a chapter of a friend's story (Dissidia Viginti Unus 021 Final Fantasy), chapter 21 to be exact! And…. Man that scene with Hikari and the Warrior~ I thought I was going to die from feels – and I just had to get them out. I couldn't resist, especially since I don't write this lovely pairing very often (like not at all). But, I can't believe I wrote this up in 45 minutes. o 3 o Those typing classes sure came in handy. Anyways~ A big thank you to StarlightAT. ; v ; You are beautiful and I love your story and I just…._

_(hug) I just love you okay, you're so helping me get out of this funk and you don't even have to try anymore! I mean look at me, I just killed Squall, you know, my favorite character evah. Lol :'D I must be doing better._


End file.
